Owls & Birds of Prey
in Wisconsin
Owls, hawks, and other birds of prey are Wisconsin's top rodent controllers. A single owl family can eat thousands of mice in a year. They are never a household pest — they are a sign of a healthy, balanced landscape worth protecting.
Great horned and barred owls are a nightly soundtrack across the woodlots and wetlands of Waupaca, Shawano, and Outagamie counties, where they hunt the mice and voles that thrive along field edges and around old barns. A single owl family nesting near a Waupaca or New London farmstead takes thousands of rodents a year — free, silent, and entirely legal pest control.
In Northeast Wisconsin
Listen at dusk in Hartman Creek State Park, the woodlots at Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve, and the open country along the Wolf River corridor — great horned and barred owls call throughout the night.
A single owl or hawk family consumes thousands of mice, voles, and rats per year — far more effective than traps.
Birds of prey keep rodent and rabbit populations from booming, protecting crops and stored grain.
Their presence signals a healthy, prey-rich ecosystem with clean habitat.
All Wisconsin raptors are protected by state and federal law — it is illegal to harm them or disturb their nests.
Why Owls & Birds of Prey Matter
Wisconsin's birds of prey — including barred owls, great horned owls, red-tailed hawks, and American kestrels — sit atop the food web as rodent specialists. They hunt the mice, voles, and rabbits that would otherwise overrun fields and homes. Because they need healthy habitat and abundant prey, their presence is a sign of a balanced landscape. All raptors are protected by law.
Common Owls & Birds of Prey in Wisconsin
Here are the common Owls & Birds of Prey found across Wisconsin, with the specific benefits each species provides to nature and to people.
Barred Owl
Benefits to NatureWisconsin's familiar 'who-cooks-for-you' owl of forests and wetlands; hunts rodents, frogs, and small birds at night.
Benefits to HumansMajor rodent control in wooded and rural areas; a beloved sound of Wisconsin nights.
Great Horned Owl
Benefits to NatureWisconsin's largest owl, a powerful nocturnal predator of rodents, rabbits, and even skunks.
Benefits to HumansTop rodent controller across the state; protects farms and homes from rodent damage.
Red-tailed Hawk
Benefits to NatureWisconsin's most common hawk, hunting mice, voles, and rabbits from roadside perches by day.
Benefits to HumansVisible, daytime rodent control across fields and highways; a sign of healthy open habitat.
American Kestrel
Benefits to NatureA small, colorful falcon that hunts insects, mice, and grasshoppers in open fields.
Benefits to HumansControls grasshoppers and rodents in pastures and meadows; declining, so nest boxes help.
Barn Owl
Benefits to NatureA rare, pale owl of open country and barns; one of the most efficient rodent hunters on earth.
Benefits to HumansA single family can eat thousands of mice yearly; rare in Wisconsin, so nest boxes and habitat help.
Related Beneficial Species
These species do similar work in the Wisconsin landscape — explore how they fit together.
When They're Beneficial
- Hunting rodents and rabbits in fields, pastures, and around outbuildings
- Keeping mouse, vole, and rabbit populations in check naturally
- Indicating a healthy, prey-rich landscape
- Nesting in trees, barns, or nest boxes away from living spaces
When Raptors Become a Nuisance
Birds of prey are almost never a household pest. Occasionally a hawk will prey on backyard poultry or an owl will roost noisily near a bedroom window. Because all raptors are protected by federal law, any conflict must be resolved with humane deterrence — never harm. Exclusion netting for poultry and visual deterrents usually solve it.
Bird ControlLiving Alongside Owls & Birds of Prey
Install Nest Boxes
Kestrel and barn owl boxes give beneficial raptors a home and boost rodent control on your property.
Protect Poultry Humanely
Use covered runs and netting to protect backyard chickens from hawks — never harm the hawk, which is illegal.
Preserve Dead Trees & Snags
Standing dead trees provide nest sites for owls and hawks; keep them when safe to do so.
Avoid Rodenticides
Poisoned rodents sicken and kill the owls and hawks that eat them. Use traps or exclusion instead.
When to Call Wildlife Specialists
Owls and hawks are protected by law and almost never a household pest. The rare conflict — a raptor nesting in a dangerous spot or targeting poultry — must be resolved with humane, legal deterrence, never harm.
- An owl or hawk is repeatedly diving at people near its nest (give it space; call if it won't resolve)
- A raptor is preying on backyard poultry despite covered runs and netting
- A raptor has nested in a genuinely dangerous location, such as over an entryway
- You find an injured or grounded raptor — do not touch it; call a wildlife rehabilitator
Raptors are allies, not pests. If a hawk is targeting your poultry, we can help with humane, legal bird deterrence.
Bird ControlOwls & Birds of Prey Quiz
How well do you know Wisconsin's owls & birds of prey? Take this quick quiz to find out.